Resources Minister George Pullicino last week inaugurated Marsovin’s 2012 harvest at Wardija Valley Estate.
Since 2009, Marsovin has only used local grapes in the production of wine
Marsovin harvests 1,200 tumoli of land under vine, which is equivalent to approximately 200 full-size football pitches.
Marsovin director Jeremy Cassar said the estimated grape harvest for this year is expected to be 15 per cent more than last year. The 2011 harvest was low, while 2012 is an average-sized one. Marsovin is expecting to harvest about 1,000 tons of grapes, accounting to over 50 per cent of the total wine grape production in Malta and Gozo.
Since the 2009 harvest, Marsovin has only used local grapes in the production of wine.
Mr Cassar said that although the price paid for local grapes was more expensive than most foreign grapes, this showed Marsovin’s commitment towards producing a genuine Maltese product.
The Chardonnay grapes grown at Wardija are used to produce Marsovin’s Cassar de Malte – Brut champagne. They need to be picked early when levels of acidity are still high, which is crucial for age maturation of quality sparkling wine.
Malta’s favourable warm climate allows grapes to be harvested as early as July, while other countries further north will have to wait until late in the summer for sugar levels to be of an acceptable level. Mr Cassar urged the government to keep up rigid controls on the production of Maltese quality wines. It was only through the commitment of the producers and controls upheld by the government that the Maltese wine sector would continue to grow, he said.
“Wines used are the DOK and IGT Malta and Gozo wines. These are sealed with a banderole at the top of the bottle, which proves they have been certified.
“Without the support of local consumers, wineries, including Marsovin, could not continue to invest in producing Maltese products of such high quality.”
Marsovin has recently penetrated two important international wine markets – New Zealand and the Netherlands – and also exports to China, Japan, Hong Kong, Italy and France.
By the end of this year, Marsovin is expected to make inroads also in the US and Canada.